Chief Psychiatrist’s Guidelines for the Administration of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) in WA

Publication summary

The Chief Psychiatrist’s Guidelines for the Administration of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Western Australia provide a framework for best practice in Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) provision in WA.

The Mental Health Act 2014 requires that all services that perform electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in Western Australia (WA) be approved by the Chief Psychiatrist (CP) (s.544).

Any medical practitioner or service performing ECT must have regard to the Chief Psychiatrist’s Guidelines for the use of Electroconvulsive Therapy in Western Australia, which are published under s.547(1)(f) MHA 2014 to provide a framework for best practice in ECT provision in WA. The Mental Health Tribunal must also have regard to the Guidelines when making a decision about ECT.

The Guidelines contain the information that clinicians require to carry out ECT safely, as well as providing a reference text for all those who have a personal or professional interest in the safe practice of ECT and the management of ECT Units.